Food anyone?

[giradman]

Since you and your wife like oysters so much, have you been to the Union Oyster House in Boston? It's the oldest Oyster Bar in the United States and one of the oldest restaurants, being founded in 1826, in a building dating to 1714. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Oyster_House

Yep, we've been to Boston many times and have eaten there at least twice - but has been a while - thanks for the reminder - we need to return since that old ugly green expressway is no longer present - and one of my favorite ships to visit, i.e. the USS Constitution was under repair on our last visit, and the masts were down - sad state of affairs -

But, if we get back in the near future, the Oyster House will be on our list! Dave

 

[scifan57]

Yep, we've been to Boston many times and have eaten there at least twice - but has been a while - thanks for the reminder - we need to return since that old ugly green expressway is no longer present - and one of my favorite ships to visit, i.e. the USS Constitution was under repair on our last visit, and the masts were down - sad state of affairs -

But, if we get back in the near future, the Oyster House will be on our list! Dave

I was last in Boston in 2004. The expressway was gone, replaced by the tunnel in the Big Dig, but they were just starting to turn the land where the expressway was into a park. I've visited the Constitution both times I was in Boston. It's the oldest commissioned warship still afloat.

 

[giradman]

I was last in Boston in 2004. The expressway was gone, replaced by the tunnel in the Big Dig, but they were just starting to turn the land where the expressway was into a park. I've visited the Constitution both times I was in Boston. It's the oldest commissioned warship still afloat.

BOY, now I cannot remember the last time I went to Boston - was a medical meeting in the Back Bay of Boston so may not have even gotten down to the waterfront?

But concerning the USS Constitution, the ship was made from a lot of freshly cut live oak - I've shown a lot of pics of these trees in a number of my travelogues, the main branches extend horizontally and then upward so the ship builders needed little effort in using the wood for the curving hulls; plus the wood was freshly cut, so the reason cannonballs just bounced off the sides, thus the name 'Old Ironsides' - below a little introductory history from HERE - live oaks are just a joy to see on the coast w/ the Spanish moss & the resurrection fern - Dave

On 9 June 1794, Congress appropriated $688,888.32 for the whole building program, and that same day a contract was let with John T. Morgan for the cutting of live oak, a tough, evergreen form of oak desired for major parts of the ship’s frame (skeleton). Bids for the production of anchors went out on 30 June, two days after the first of the three cannon contracts was let. The contract with Furnace Hope in Rhode Island for the 24-pounders that would go aboard the Boston frigate was let on 9 August. A contract for sails was let during September with the Boston Manufacturing Company. The cutting of live oak on St. Simon’s Island, Georgia, began on 23 October, after the end of the malaria season. Mast contracts most probably were let during this period, as well, although they haven’t been found yet. Constitution’s were cut in the vicinity of Unity, Maine, by one Thomas Cooper and a man named Gray, and towed down the coast to Boston.

P.S. as mentioned in the quote, St. Simon's Island is just south of Savannah in Brunswick, Georgia - a number of islands of interest are located there as in the quote below - on Sea Island is the famous resort The Cloister - we've stayed there a few times - maybe another post?

Nestled on the Georgia coast, midway between Savannah, GA, and Jacksonville, FL, lies the mainland city of Brunswick and its four beautiful barrier islands: St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Little St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island. Pristine stretches of marshland, punctuated by small islands known as hammocks, define the breathtaking landscape and create the appearance of a continuous stretch of land reaching out to the barrier islands.

 

[giradman]

We've been on a 6-night trip into Virginia (VA) & southern Pennyslvania visiting famous American Civil War Battlefields (Petersburg, Manassas, Gettysburg, & Fredericksburg) - 1 night in Petersburg, 3 nights @ the Ritz-Carlton in Tysons Corner, & 2 nights in Richmond @ The Jefferson Hotel (just left a post w/ a few pics & comments in the 'pictures thread').

Our eating has been fabulous - a restaurant in the old historic district of Petersburg, VA; Tysons Corner - 2 nights @ Legal Seafoods (a chain out of Boston) - had oysters from British Columbia & two places on the east coast USA, steamed lobsters, and grilled swordfish w/ a wonderful butter herb sauce; did a day trip into Washington, D.C. to visit the Newseum (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) - ate @ a tapas place called Jaleo (their gaspacho was outstanding - had small plates of shrimp, mussels, squid w/ rice, quail, oysters cooked w/ a wonderful sauce - and others - also, a delicious Spanish white wine, a combination of Chardonnay/Sauvignon Blanc).

Our last two nights in Richmond - tonight ate at a favorite, Bookbinder's in the restored downtown riverside area - started w/ a dozen oysters from Chincoteague on the eastern VA shore (I have a travelogue on the area that we visited a few years ago w/ the wild horses) - then shared some jumbo blue crab & each of us had a half chilled lobster - split a fresh mixed berry dessert w/ whipped cream & an ice wine from Ontario, Canada - my wine w/ dinner was a couple of glasses of a well oaked chardonnay from California (Talbott winery).

NOW, maybe the treat of the whole trip is on Sunday tomorrow, i.e. the Champagne Brunch (http://www.jeffersonhotel.com/richmond-fine-dining/sunday-champagne-brunch/) at the hotel - we have an 11 AM reservation - I'll be sticking to the oysters, salmon and other seafood offerings but check the link - this is a MUST DO if you are in the area - Dave

 

[giradman]

The champagne Sunday brunch was as good as ever - pic below of Susan & I taken by one of the servers before our feast began. Susan started w/ breakfast items (although she skipped a freshly made omelet this time) - I began w/ a salad, then we both concentrated on the seafood selections - my two plates below w/ oysters, shrimp (not shown), mussels, smoke salmon (alone and on mini bagels), and poached salmon - there were many cooked items and also two carving stations. The dessert offerings in sampler portions were numerous - I had one of several cheese cakes, chocolate mousse, & pecan pie. The price has not change much in recent years, i.e. $45/person w/ all of the oysters & sparkling wine you may want ( I was not driving so no big issue - ) - Dave
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[scifan57]

It's nice to finally see you both. I like the food photos, your posts wouldn't be the same without the oysters.

 

[The OB]

The champagne Sunday brunch was as good as ever - pic below of Susan & I taken by one of the servers before our feast began. Susan started w/ breakfast items (although she skipped a freshly made omelet this time) - I began w/ a salad, then we both concentrated on the seafood selections - my two plates below w/ oysters, shrimp (not shown), mussels, smoke salmon (alone and on mini bagels), and poached salmon - there were many cooked items and also two carving stations. The dessert offerings in sampler portions were numerous - I had one of several cheese cakes, chocolate mousse, & pecan pie. The price has not change much in recent years, i.e. $45/person w/ all of the oysters & sparkling wine you may want ( I was not driving so no big issue - ) - Dave
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That looks delish, Dave! Those oysters are HUGE, a meal in themselves
Andrew

 

[giradman]

Hi Sifan.. & Andrew - yep, those are huge (believe I had at least 8 on two plates) - did not ask their origin but suspect local from their appearance & flavor - James River & Rappahannock River (both Virginia) are popular, but on this trip we had oysters from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Chincoteague (eastern shore Virginia and one of my previous travelogues).

BUT, our favorite oyster on this trip were from the west coast, i.e. British Columbia and are called Kusshi - description quote below (Source) - we had them two nights at Legal Sea Foods in Tysons Corner (our 3 days @ the Ritz when we did our day trips into D.C. & to the Gettysburg Battlefield) - pic from the web; small like most Pacific Coast oysters but plump w/ just an indescribable flavor - we shared a dozen & a half over those two meals - and hope to see them again soon! Dave

P.S. just returned home and back on my MBPro!

British Columbia
KUSSHI
Still a rarity on East Coast menus, Kusshis are all the rage out West, due to their small size and ultra-clean flavor. Grown by Keith Reid, a highly innovative grower in Deep Bay, Kusshis are grown in floating trays and tumbled very aggressively. This breaks off the thin growing edge and forces them to deepen and thicken their shells. The resulting oyster, called a Kusshi, Japanese for “precious,” is almost as deep as it is long—just over two inches. The unusual cornucopia shape and stunning smooth purple-black shell are due to the tumbling, which smoothes off any frills. The depth and pillowy softness inside make the Kusshi resemble a Kumamoto, but it’s a plain-old Pacific that’s been tumbled into bonsai form.

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[giradman]

Tomorrow, Susan & I are off on a 5-night trip to the Georgia Mountains - about a 4-hr drive into southwestern North Carolina and just over the state border into Georgia - our first visit there - will take my new camera and hope for some good weather - will not be as cool as expected - if interesting, maybe another travelogue.

But, Susan did not want to cook tonight, so she picked up some Lexington-style pork barbecue - we usually get either the coarse or fine chopped - to many North Carolinians, barbecue is like a religion here w/ debate over whether the 'eastern' style is better than the Lexington style - we do not eat this much but quite tasty - always buy from Little Richard's shown below (about a 5 minute drive from home) - this style uses only pork shoulders and is smoked w/ hickory wood for hours, then pulled and chopped; a smoky slightly vinegary sauce comes w/ your order - the meat can be eaten off a plate as I prefer or put on a bun for a sandwich.

Bob Garner - a local media celebrity made a video for our local PBS TV channel a number of years ago and also wrote a book on NC barbecue - quoted below are his comments on this particular restaurant that we use - Little Richard's is in Bob's top ten for the state, which is saying a LOT if you're really into 'pig meat' - Dave

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[Hayles66]

I've just had a piece of apple and raspberry tart with thick delicious cream. yum yum

 

[giradman]

Boy, no activity here for nearly a half year - YIKES!

At the moment, Susan & I are in the Raleigh area to see some traveling exhibits at the North Carolina museums (art, science, & history) - probably should start a brief travelogue about this area of the state - just a lot to see & do.

But, as usual we are splurging a little and staying at the Umstead Hotel & Spa (pic below of the back facing the lake & park) for a couple of nights, which has a fabulous restaurant called Herons (Dinner Menu) - just finished dinner - we ordered the 3-course serving and both started w/ oysters & then squab; I had the sea bass and Susan the filet - all just delicious; I had two glasses of an Austrian white wine made from the grape, Gruner Veltliner - dry, floral, and w/ great acidity - really enjoyed (need to have Johanna chime in - my experience w/ Austrian wines is almost non-existent, but I'd love to try more!). Dave

Kusshi oysters - bloomed oysters ,dashi-onion, uni, egg caviar, ocean essence

Squab - autumn spice, persimmon, grains & oats, pickled raisins, ginger

Sea bass - farm carrots, vadouvan curry, littleneck clams, kasha, citrus emulsion

Beef tenderloin - vegetable ash, twice baked espresso potato, romanesco, ruby port

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[J. A.]

You could visit Austria in November, especially Burgenland. Most of the villages organize something we call "Martiniloben". That's taking place on weekends before and after November 11, our state holiday.
On these weekends, it's possible to visit winery owners and try their wines.

There's something similar in spring, called "Spring Walk", if you prefer warmer temperatures.

 

[giradman]

Hi Johanna - I'd love to visit Austria (mentioned before, I believe, w/ my interest in classical music - the 18th & early 19th centuries are my favorite periods) - but cannot see us at our age crossing the ocean again - enjoying these local car trips a lot (and no time zone changes!); HOWEVER, I'll be trying some more Austrian wines (of course, depending on what I can find locally - we do have an outlet of Total Wine which carries a lot of German & Alsatian producers, so next time there, will check out the Austrian section). Thanks for your input, as always! - Dave

 

[giradman]

Well, last night we gave a new Italian restaurant a try - just 10 minutes from our house - called Tre Nonne and well reviewed in our local paper HERE - great story about three native Italian grandmother's recipes being used - the food was terrible! Now I've been to Italy twice and have eaten at many excellent Italian restaurants in most of the major cities in the USA, so probably have an 'educated' opinion - there is a local Italian bistro a block away that we eat at monthly and will return - very disappointed as were two friends of ours w/ a LOT of experience eating Italian food.

BUT, tonight a treat - our local Harris Teeter (HT) had a new quail offering (vs. a salt laden marinated brand - yuck!) from Plantation Quail which is located in Greensboro, Georgia (half way between Atlanta & Augusta, where the Masters golf tournament is held each year in the spring) - below a couple of images from their website in the link - raised like chickens - apparently the Pharaoh Quail is the bird used - Susan has a simple recipe, i.e. brown the birds (they are small as shown below), then sauté some onions, add some sherry wine and seasoning - cover and let cook for about 20 minutes - just delicious! We had a veggie and I opened a bottle of Adelsheim Pinot Noir 2012 from Oregon - the quail come frozen 4 to a box (we had two each which is still a little skimpy for the size of these birds) - told her to run back to HT and pick up 3-4 boxes and put in the basement freezer! A nice make-up for last night's so-called Italian meal. Dave
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[scifan57]

Well, last night we gave a new Italian restaurant a try - just 10 minutes from our house - called Tre Nonne and well reviewed in our local paper HERE - great story about three native Italian grandmother's recipes being used - the food was terrible! Now I've been to Italy twice and have eaten at many excellent Italian restaurants in most of the major cities in the USA, so probably have an 'educated' opinion - there is a local Italian bistro a block away that we eat at monthly and will return - very disappointed as were two friends of ours w/ a LOT of experience eating Italian food.

BUT, tonight a treat - our local Harris Teeter (HT) had a new quail offering (vs. a salt laden marinated brand - yuck!) from Plantation Quail which is located in Greensboro, Georgia (half way between Atlanta & Augusta, where the Masters golf tournament is held each year in the spring) - below a couple of images from their website in the link - raised like chickens - apparently the Pharaoh Quail is the bird used - Susan has a simple recipe, i.e. brown the birds (they are small as shown below), then sauté some onions, add some sherry wine and seasoning - cover and let cook for about 20 minutes - just delicious! We had a veggie and I opened a bottle of Adelsheim Pinot Noir 2012 from Oregon - the quail come frozen 4 to a box (we had two each which is still a little skimpy for the size of these birds) - told her to run back to HT and pick up 3-4 boxes and put in the basement freezer! A nice make-up for last night's so-called Italian meal. Dave
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Thanks for the post, I'd never realized just how small quail were.